Louis Vuitton Malletier, frequently described as Louis Vuitton or shortened to LV, is a French fashion home and also deluxe retail business founded in 1854 by Louis Vuitton. The label's LV monogrammed appears on the majority of its items, varying from luxury trunks and also leather products to ready-to-wear, footwear, watches, jewelry, accessories, sunglasses and also publications. Louis Vuitton is among the world's leading global style houses; it markets its items via standalone stores, lease divisions in high-end outlet store, as well as via the shopping area of its website. For six successive years (2006-- 2012), Louis Vuitton was named the globe's most important high-end brand. Its 2012 valuation was US$ 25.9 billion. The 2013 evaluation of the brand name was US$ 28.4 billion with revenue of US$ 9.4 billion. The business operates in 50 countries with greater than 460 shops worldwide.